Bottle filling machine



Mafch A. R. REYNOLDS BOTTLE FILLING MACHINE Filed Feb. 16, 1932 gwwmkw A DOLPH R. REYNOL D5 patented Mar. 14, 1933 ADOLPH R. REYNOLDS, OF COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA BOTTLE FILLING MACHINE Application filed February -16, 1932. Serial No. 593,332.

'- My invention relates to acounter-pressure.

liquid valve mechanism for use in filling bottles with liquids under pressure, such as carbonated beverages, and where it is desirable to have pressure in the bottle, its object being to provide a simple means and one which allows the placement of all principal parts on the exterior of the liquid tank so that repairs and replacements may be conveniently made.

7 With reference to the drawing, Figure 1 is a sectional view of the complete mechanism comprising my invention, showing the liquid valve 1n closed position.

Flgure 2 1s a fragmentary sectional View of the liquid valve and piston features of.

my device, showing said valve in open position. a

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view 1n elevation of the device showing the casing of the piston feature of my invention, hereinafter explained in detail.

Referring to Figure 1, 1 designates the body member of the device having a fluid V 1 passage 2 through the center thereof, and

is secured in an opening inthe bottom of the liquid'tank 3 by bolts or other conventional means, the washer or gasket 4 being compressed against said tank'around said opening to prevent leakage therefrom.

The tube or pipe. 5, the function of which will hereinafter be explained, extends upwardly through said body member 1, wlth 3 proper packing to prevent leakage, and terminates above the liquid level in said tank.

Depending from said body member 1 is a member 6 comprising the liquid valve chamber 7, within which the ball 8 rests upon the shoulder of the fluid passage 9 through the center of the depending intermediate member 10, said passaget) connecting with the filling tube 11, depending from said intermediate member 10. I

Recesses in the underside of said member 10, and in the top side of connecting member 12, constitute a chamber 13 for the air valve 14 and spring 15, and acts as pressure connecting means with the lateral port 16 in said member 10. The air valve 14 is provided 7 with a peripheral channel to make a tight seat for said valve when held in position against the base of chamber 13 by the spring 15, overthe pressure passage or inlet 17, and may be integral'with or fastenedto a sleeve 18 extending downwardly through said member-12 around the filling tube 11, being sepa ratedfrom thelatter by an air passage 19.

Said sleeve 18 is provided with lateral ports 20, 20, so that by upward movement of said sleeve and air valve 14 the pressure en tering lateral port 21 has access through the vertical pressure inlet 1"? to the void created below the air valve by its upwardmovement,v through the lateral ports 20, 20 in the sleeve 18, and by wayof the passage into the chamber 13 and lateral port 16.

The air valve 14 is operated by upward pressure from the head of the centering funnel 22, slidably arranged on the filling tube 11 and held thereon by the enlarged base 23 cal air passage 24 in the centering funnel 22,

and into the bottle tobe filled. Tight connection between the member 12 and head of the centeringfunnel 22 is secured by contact of the latter with the gasket orwasher 25, fastened to member'12. A similar gasket or washer may be used in the centering funnel in the usual manner to provide an air-tight connection with the bottle to be filled. The operationof the liquid valve, comprising the chamber 7 and ball 8 closure for passage 9 to the filling tubell, is accomplished by means of the horizontally movable plunger 26 and connected piston 27'within the cylindrical chamber 28 formed by the casing members 29 and 30. The piston 27 may be made air-tightby a piston ring 81, and its reverse movement facilitated by the spring 95, 32. 7 i

As shown in Figure 1, when the horizontally movable plunger 26 is withdrawn'from contact with the ball 8 by the movement of connected piston 27, the'ball 8 rests over the I I q 19 upwardly 5 257 of pressure may the means hereinbefore mary pressure 15 thereby establlshed in the ting the liquid 5 forward stroke of the piston 27, the ball 8 is 'aised from its seated position over the liquid passage 9, and flow of liquid in the tank permitted through the liquid valve chamber 7, passage 9, and filling tube 11, into the bottle.

As shown in Figure 1 and Figure 2, the pipe 33 connects the lateral port 16 in the intermediate member 10 and source of pressure with the casing 29 and chamber 28' on one side of the piston 27, while the pipe 5 and inlet 3th is arranged to likewise connect the chamber on the other side of the piston with a source of pressure. These pressures are required by the nature of the device to be so regulated that the pressure through inc 5 is less than the ressure entering the piston chamber 28 by way of the pipe 83. For this reason the pressure above the liquid may be used as the secondary (or lower) pressure, while an independent source be used as the primary (or higher) pressure.

From the foregoing description of the mechanical features of my device, it can be seen that when the centering funnel 22 is in the 36 position shown in Figure 1, the secondary pressure has forced the piston to the end of its chamber, withdrawing the plunger 26 from contact with the ball 8, and allowing it to seat over the liquid passage 9, thus closing said passage to the filling tube 11.

YVit-h the upward movement of the centering funnel 22, and an airtight connection with the bottle or other container to be filled,

. the filling tube 11 enters the container, contact 0 of the funnel head with the sleeve 18 raises the air valve 1 1 until the funnel head rests against the gasket25 and releases'the primary pressure in the pressure inlet 21. By

bottle, and at the same time causes a forward stroke of the piston 27 in chamber 28 and plunger 26 to unseat the ball 8, thus permitin the tank to enter the bottle.

ith the downwardmovement of the funnel 22, the air valve 14- is seated over the pressure passage 17 and cuts ofi the primary pressure, while that primary pressure remaining I 5" in the piston chamber 28 is released to the atmosphere through the pipe 33, port 16, chamber 1", and air passage 19. With the removal of the primary pressure, the. secondary pressure through pipe 5 and inlet 34 so to the piston chamber forces a counter-stroke of the piston 27, assisted by the spring 32, withdrawing the plunger 26 from contact with the ball 8, and allows said ball to seat over the liquid passage 9. Aided by the liquid pressure from above,-the ball 8 fo'rms a described, the pritight closure over the passage 9 and prevents the fiow of liquid from the tank.

'to unseat said exit closing member with the stroke of said piston, and pressure controlling means whereby said piston is actuated.-

2. In a filling valve for a liquid tank, the combination of a valve casing having a liquid exit, valve and tank connecting means, an exit closing member freely disposed in said valve casing and arranged to close said exit under pressure of the liquid, a piston'casing, a piston in said casing, means connecting said piston casing with said valve casing, a plunger secured to said piston, said plunger being adapted to contact and unseat said exit closing member with the stroke of said piston, and pressure controlling means connected with the piston chamber.

- 3. In a filling valve for a liquid tank, the combination of a valve casing forming a valve chamberand having a liquid exit, tank and valve connecting means, an exit closing member freely disposed in said valve chamber and arranged to close said exit under pressure of chamber, a piston in said casing, means connecting said piston casing with said valve casing, aplunger in said connecting means and secured to said piston, said plunger being adapted to contact and unseat said exit closing member with the stroke of said piston, and pressure controlling means connected with said piston chamber. v 4. In filling valve for a liquid tank, the combination of a casing forming a valve chamber and having a liquid exit, tank and valve chamber connecting means, a ball in said valve chamber seated in said exit, a piston casing forming a piston chamber,a piston in said'casing, means'connecting' said piston casing with said valve casing, a plunger in said connecting means and secured to said piston, said plunger being adapted to contact and unseat said ball. with the stroke of said piston, and pressure controlling means connected with said piston chamber. 5. In a filling valve for a liquid tank, the combination of a casing forming a valve chamber, tank and valve-chamber connecting means, a filling tube, meansconnecting said chamber with said filling tube, a ball in said valve chamber seated over said filling tube casing, means connecting said piston casing with said valve casing, a plunger in said connec'ting means and secured to said piston, said plunger being adapted to contact and unseat said ball with the stroke of said piston, and pressure controlling means connected with said piston chamber.

6. In a filling valve for a liquid tank, the combination of a casing forming a valve chamber, tank and valve chamber connecting means, a. filling tube, means connecting said chamber with said filling tube, a-ball in said valve chamber seated over said filling tube connecting means, a piston casing forming a piston chamber, a piston in said casing, means connecting said piston casing with said valve chamber, a plunger in said connecting means and secured to said piston, said plunger being adapted to contact and unseat said ball with the forward stroke of said piston, pressure controlling means connected with said piston chamber above said piston, and counterpressure means connected with said piston chamber behind said piston.

7. In a filling valve for a liquid tank, the

combination of a valve casing having a liquid exit, valve and tank connecting means, a fill ng tube depending from said liquid exit, a sleeve member shdably arranged on said filling tube, an exit closing member freely disposed in said valve casing and arranged to close said exit under pressure of the liquid, piston casing, a piston in said casing, means connecting said piston casing with said valve casing, plunger means secured to said piston and adapted to unseat said exit closing member with the stroke of said piston, and pressure controlling means connected with said piston casing comprising a valve actuated by the movement of said sleeve member on said filling tube.

8. In a filling valve for a liquid tank, the combination ofa valve casing having a liquid exit, valve and tank connecting means, a filling tube depending from said liquid exit, a sleeve member slidably arranged on said filling tube, an exit closing member freely disposed in said valve casing and arranged to close said exit under pressure of the liquid,

a piston casing, a piston in said casing, means.

connecting said piston casing with said valve casing, a plunger secured to said piston, said plunger said exit closing member with the stroke of said piston, and pressure controlling means connected with said piston casing comprising a valve actuated by the movement of said sleeve member on said filling tube.

9. In a filling valve for a liquid tank, the combination of a casing forming a valve chamber and having a liquid exit, tank and valve connecting means, a filling tube depending from said liquid exit, a sleeve member slidably arranged on said filling tube, an

exit closing member freely disposed in said being adapted to contact and unseat c valve casing and'arranged to close, said exit under pressure of the liquid, 'a piston casing forminga piston chamber, a piston in said casing, means connecting said piston casing with said valve casing, a plunger in said conanecting means and secured to said piston, said plunger being adapted to contact and unseat said exit closing member'with the stroketube depending from said liquid exit, a sleeve 7 member slidably arranged on said filling tube, a ball insaid valve chamber seated in.

said exit, a piston casing forming a piston chamber, a piston in said casing, means connecting said piston casing casing, a plunger in said connecting means and secured tosaid piston, saidplunger being adapted to contact and unseat said ball with the stroke of said piston,

trolling means connected with said piston chamber comprising a valve actuated by the movement of said sleeve/member on said filling tube.

11. In a filling valve for a liquid tank, the a casing forming a valve combination of chamber, tank and valve. chamber connecting means, a filling tube, a centering bell slidably arranged on said filling tube, means connecting said valve chamber with said filling tube, a, ball insaid" valve chamber seated over said filling tube connecting means, a piston casing forming a piston chamber, a piston in said casing, means connecting said piston casing with said valve casing, a plunger in said connecting means and secured to said piston, said plunger being adapted to contact and unseat said ball with the forward stroke of said piston, and pressure controlling means connected with said piston chamber comprising a valve actuated by the movement of said centering bell on said filling tube.

12. In a filling valve for a liquid tank, the combination I of a casing forming avalve chamber, tank and valve chamber connecting means, a filling tube, a centering bell slidably arranged on said filling tube, means connecting said valve chamber with said filling tube, a ball in said valve chamber seated over said filling tube connecting means, a piston casing forming a piston chamber,-a piston'in saidcasing, means connecting said piston casing with said valve casing, a plungerin said connecting means and secured to said piston, said plunger being adapted to contact and unseat said ball with the forward stroke of said piston, pressure controlling with said valve.

and pressure con 1 means-connected with said piston chamber above said piston and comprising a Valve actuated by the movement of said centering M bell on said. filling tube, and counterpressure 5 connectingrmeans connected with said piston chamber behind said piston.

ADOLPH R. REYNOLDS. 

